<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
    <channel>
        <atom:link href="https://www.okotoks.com/blog/2016-05/rss/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
        <title>Real Estate Blog</title>
        <link>https://www.okotoks.com/blog/2016-05/</link>
        <description></description>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.okotoks.com/blog/what-are-these-yellow-fish-on-okotoks-roads.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.okotoks.com/blog/what-are-these-yellow-fish-on-okotoks-roads.html</link>
        <title>What are these yellow fish on Okotoks roads?</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
They’re not just coloured with sidewalk chalk. The yellow fish that suddenly appeared on Okotoks streets at the end of May were painted on the road with environmentally safe paint to safeguard sensitive aquatic ecosystems in Southern Alberta.


The Yellow Fish Road project was launched in 1991 by Trout Unlimited Canada to create awareness of urban storm water drains. The fish were painted the last weekend of May by Okotoks Guide Guides and Pathfinders as part of this project to garner attention for the dangers of polluting our roadways.


The schools of small yellow painted fish are all painted close to Okotoks storm water drains and are there to remind residents that contaminates such as oil, antifreeze, detergent and fertilizer should be kept off roadways.  Anything that flows down the street to the drain goes through the storm water system to the nearest river or wetland.


Communities across Canada have participated in the program for the past 25 years.


So much public education still needs to be done as many residents believe that waste water that runs down the street as storm water is treated at municipal facilities rather than running into rivers and streams.  Or, storm water ponds which are popular urban features these days.


Girl Guides and Pathfinder groups have been volunteer fish painters since the National program began but 2016 marks the first time that girls in Okotoks have become involved.


The groups of girls concentrated their efforts in certain areas of town, like the Suntree neighbourhood and Tower Hill area.  The area is small and there are more storm water drains that the average Okotoks might imagine, with 108 in the Suntree neighbourhood alone.


To manage the risk, the girls and their adult leaders are sure to put up orange safety cones while setting up their painting stations.  In addition to the roadwork, door hangers in the way of cardboard fish are distributed door to door in the community as a reminder of what the Yellow Fish Road Project is all about.


In 2017, the group hopes to cover more of the Town of Okotoks and will expand to local Scout, Venturers and Rangers groups.  Members aged 10 and older will be able to participate.


This community service project not only educates the public about keeping dangerous items off roadways and out of our storm water sewer systems, it acts as a valuable community service project for the Girl Guides as they have a lot of fun while learning about the impact every day suburban life can have on the water supply and wetlands.


Leaders believe that it will take five more years of painting every spring to get the entire Town of Okotoks painted, just in time to cycle through and start all over back in Suntree and Tower Hill.


Trout Unlimited is a non-profit organization in Canada that promotes awareness of healthy watersheds in our country.  Storm-drain paint kits are provided to community organizations eager to get involved.  Complete information is available on the organization’s website.


 
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 31 May 2016 10:01:00 -0600</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.okotoks.com/blog/bookworms-soon-to-invade-okotoks-parks.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.okotoks.com/blog/bookworms-soon-to-invade-okotoks-parks.html</link>
        <title>Bookworms soon to invade Okotoks parks</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
They’re called Little Free Libraries and they have become a global phenomenon. In this digital age, book lovers are doing whatever they can to share the love of traditional books published in paper and ink. 


Okotoks will soon have seven Little Libraries scattered throughout the town, including in public parks, thanks to an initiative by the Okotoks Public Library.


The program will launch the first week of June when five Little Libraries will open in locations like the Okotoks Recreation Centre, the Okotoks Food Bank and three town parks.


While the town’s library is opening the Little Free Libraries, the program is being financed by Okotoks Family and Community Support Services (FCSS).  The organization came up with $5,000 for materials and labour to build the libraries.


The concept of the free library is simple.  A deposit box mounted on a post is displayed in a public place and is full of books free for the taking. Visitors are on the honour system and are expected to replace the book they choose with another book they’d like to share.  The deposit boxes are often constructed in the shape of a box with a glass door and are weather proof.  Often, homeowners will construct and place a Little Free Library and put it on their front lawn close to the sidewalk.


The director of the Okotoks Public Library, Tessa Nettleton, told the Western Wheel that she thought about this program last year after attending a Lethbridge conference.   In Lethbridge, the libraries are inside buildings but Nettleton thought public places such as Okotoks parks would be a nice addition, making books accessible to those who don’t go to some of the town’s public buildings and who don’t have transportation or perhaps don’t have money for books.


Parks chosen for the free libraries are those which are the furthest distance from the Okotoks Public Library.


To launch the program, the public library and board members will be responsible for initially stocking the free libraries with books that are donated.  The hope is that the program will be self-sustaining once people get the hang of the idea that once they take a book they are supposed to replace it with another of their choosing.


The libraries are being constructed by Okotoks residents and each once is unique in appearance.  A library employee’s husband, Steve Coe, is a woodworker and personally built two of them. One is a log cabin.  Coe’s experience includes building toys out of wood so constructing small houses was a fund experience he said.


The Coe family has hundreds of books they’d like to donate.  


Vandalism is a concern with these unattended libraries and participants say they almost expect a degree of tampering but belief in the value of free libraries outweighs any concerns.


Each public library board member has been assigned a free library to monitor and watch over to ensure they’re being used.


A public consultation process helped determine which parks would be appropriate for a Little Free library and to provide a platform for Okotoks residents to share positive and negative feedback.


Posts will go in the ground for the five outdoor libraries in Cimarron Grove, Drake Landing, Westmount, Sunshine and Sandstone.  The houses are quite heavy and will be braced after being mounted on the posts.


More information can be found on the Okotoks Public Library website.
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 26 May 2016 10:54:00 -0600</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.okotoks.com/blog/get-cash-back-for-conserving-water.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.okotoks.com/blog/get-cash-back-for-conserving-water.html</link>
        <title>Get cash back for conserving water</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
This early dry spring – emphasis on dry – has certainly illustrated the need to be conscious of conserving water.  Every resident of Southern Alberta should be diligent and the Town of Okotoks is rewarding residents for being water wise.


The Residential Water Conservation Rebate Program is an annual program offered by the Town to put money back in the pocket of participating residents as they strive to keep water use down to a minimum.  It’s not just being mindful of the amount of water that comes out of the spout – it’s also about the appliances and other items used in the home that helps in the process.


There are certain items that the town promotes that are WaterSense certified.  That includes toilets that are low-flow and rain barrels that capture rain water.  Other lesser known products available include special sensors for underground sprinklers that detect moisture and operate accordingly.  Also, mulch for the garden qualifies for use under the program because it traps and holds in moisture making it a good product for xeriscaping or drought tolerant landscaping.


The Town of Okotoks has established a hierarchy of rebates to go with the 2016 Conservation Program corresponding to what you purchase.  Here is a list of eligible items:




Rain barrels receive a rebate of 50 per barrel with a maximum rebate of $50 per barrel or a maximum of $100 for every household.


Water harvesting systems for residential use are also eligible for a 50 rebate with a maximum household cash rebate of $500.


Toilets qualify for the 50 rebate up to $100 a toilet with an upper limit of $200 per single-family home.


Moisture sensors for underground sprinklers and other garden items such as mulch, whether it’s organize or not, plus ground covers or exterior turf also qualify for the 50 back with a household maximum of $200 per single family home.




Who qualifies for rebates under the water conservation program?




The rebate applies to purchases that have been made in 2016 regardless of the month.


Residents must present the receipts for their purchases.


The program is open to owners of residential properties and those who are renting property within the Town of Okotoks.


The rebates for residents are first-come, first served as per the date of your application. Each application will be date stamped by Town administration.


Rebates will be offered in the form of a credit on the utility bill issued by the Town of Okotoks.  Renters who do not pay utilities directly to the Town will receive cheques.


The rebate for each item is just for the item.  Any shipping costs, installation charges or GST paid out aren’t included in this program.


Receipts are required, with the sales date range of January 1 to December 31, 2016.


Your application must be 100 complete with required information or additional documentation as per the application form.




This program is not for brand new homes.  New construction is ineligible at this time. It is strictly intended for residents who are replacing or upgrading current water conservation infrastructure in the home.
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Mon, 16 May 2016 10:01:00 -0600</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.okotoks.com/blog/housing-slows-down-but-industrialcommercial-picks-up.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.okotoks.com/blog/housing-slows-down-but-industrialcommercial-picks-up.html</link>
        <title>Housing slows down but industrial/commercial picks up</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
In the first three months of 2016, housing starts were slower than normal in the Town of Okotoks. The positive news is that homes are still continuing to sell in town, and the total value of new construction projects has actually gone up.


This past quarter, the Town of Okotoks handed out 30 permits to build new residential structures which is 17 fewer than the 47 permits issued in the first quarter of 2015.  When the Town of Okotoks was preparing its 2016 budget, the prediction was 200 permits for the entire year so projections are off by six or seven permits a month so far.


In looking at non-residential or commercial construction so far, the numbers far a bit better.  New buildings, improvements or renos in the first quarter total $28 million which is nearly 20 better than the first three months of last year. 


Apparently, Okotoks isn’t the only Alberta municipality experiencing the same sort of trend during this recession.  Permits are off budget by as high as 10 housing starts yet for a supposedly sluggish economy the Town seems to be pretty busy, according to an administration spokesperson.


Preliminary reports on the first quarter of activity across the province, gathered from Alberta Treasury Branch, CHMC and administrators from other municipalities show that Okotoks is ahead in terms of growth in the non-residential sector, which includes institutional properties such as schools.  The Town was leaps and bounds ahead in housing construction but now commercial construction is catching up.


Town manager of economic development, Shane Olson, went so far as to say that industrial development specifically has reached record levels this quarter at 8 million.  Compare that to the entire year of 2010, just six short years ago, when the value was a pittance at $355,000. Commercial activity is at $9 million so far this year, which is higher than normal but not record-setting.  In 2015 the total was $4 million for the whole year so the first quarter has been significant.


The construction in these segments is indicative of the fact that people want to conduct business in Okotoks and activity in the industrial and commercial sectors is key as the Town’s population edges closer to 30,000 people.


The Southbank district is where a lot of the action is in Okotoks which will soon have a Save-on-Foods and a medical centre, along with a carwash, an office building, another Tim Horton’s and a microbrewery.  These types of services will support more housing and more real estate transactions in Okotoks, and visa versa.  If more amenities will attract more buyers to the town, that’s good news for the housing market as there’s been a sharp decline in sales in the past 12 months.  Sales are slow but prices aren’t fall at the same rate.  Sellers seem to be holding onto their bottom line with the exception of those who need to sell quickly.


Homes in the $400,000 range are selling the best according to local agents in Okotoks.


It’s taking twice as long to sell as it did in 2014 which is around 60 days.
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Mon, 09 May 2016 15:56:00 -0600</pubDate>
</item>
    </channel>
</rss>